Novelty night

By Dean Robbins

4/24/2013

‘American Idol’ emphasizes silliness over singing

The “American Idol” season is heading into its final stretch (Wednesday and Thursday, 7 p.m., Fox), but it’s not the must-see TV of yore. Ratings are dropping, rival singing competitions are coming on strong, and the last half-dozen winners have been nondescript. We’ve been around the block too many times to buy into the finalists’ personal journeys, which we now know will likely culminate in touring Broadway musicals, at best.

The series’ decline makes you understand why it decided to play the novelty card by hiring Nicki Minaj. She wasn’t placed on the judges’ panel to offer perceptive observations about singing, but to catfight with Mariah Carey, wear Halloween wigs and make outrageous statements. She earned her paycheck right out of the gate when she told a contestant: “I wanna skin you and wear you.”

The problem is, even viewers who found this comment amusing (former concentration-camp commandants?) probably tired of Minaj-style idiocy after a few weeks. And where does that leave the series? It’s now gone as far as it can as a novelty attraction while losing respect as a showcase for serious vocalists.

The new science series offers insights into the human mind using experiments and games. In this week’s episode, host Jason Silva presents a lively examination of fear — why we experience it and how it works. Silva consults with a “dread specialist” (yes, that’s an actual job title) about the mysteries of the amygdala, which responds to danger signals in the environment. Horror filmmakers are well versed in exploiting the amygdala, as when they use high-pitched music. It mimics the sound of a baby in distress — a frequency guaranteed to freak us out, thanks to evolution.

The episode has given me new respect for my own fearfulness. Silva points out that our hard-wired response to danger helps us survive not only as individuals, but also as a species. Fear of the dark, he says, led to the invention of the light bulb, just as fear of disease has led to cures.

Maybe I’ll be a dread specialist when I grow up.

‘Girl Code’

Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. (MTV)

In this new series, a group of smart, witty, raunchy young women share their candid views on a variety of topics. A spinoff of MTV’s “Guy Code,” it’s a peek inside the female mind for those (like me) who’ve never been inside one before. Male viewers would be well advised to take notes.

On the subject of the dance floor, for example, one commentator explains how a guy can break into the seemingly impenetrable circle of women dancing in a group: “The only thing he needs to do is buy me an Appletini and tell me he likes my shoes.” Duly noted!

We also learn about the female approach to friends-with-benefits. One ironclad rule, apparently, is that women should never do anything with an FWB that Bella did with Edward in the “Twilight” movies. That includes staring deeply into his eyes or lazing with him in a field of flowers.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to order an Appletini. CV

Dean Robbins is a syndicated TV columnist from Madison, Wis. He graduated from Grinnell College and went on to become an award-winning journalist, but he’s been a committed couch potato long before he figured out a way to get paid for watching TV. See more of his work at www.thedailypage.com.